Omaha daily bee., 1887-01-05

port = moderate decrease in the total
volume of general merchandise moving.
This is regarded as seasonablc, yet the
distribution from first and second hands,
at Chicago, st. Louis, Kansas City and
elsewhere exceeds that at like periods in
preceding years. Leading retail lines
have been very active, owing to the slim
ulus of the holiday season. Merchants
look ahead to an Improvement in the
wholesale demand after the middle of
January. Money is generally easier than
one week ago, except at Boston, where
rates are LOG per cent higher; at Chicago
where some dealers in staple goods have
been seeking accommodations to meet
payments due on purchases; at Nllwau-
kee and Kansas City, whore requests for
funds from interior banks continue to
be received.
The falling Of in the general trade and
speculative movements during the week
Is shown in the bank clearing from thirty
two cities specially wired TO Bradstrcet's.
The decline in the aggregate for the
week is S253, 600 600, but against the ike
week in 1886, the total shows gain of
S@01 5ji, 900 New York's clcarngs fell
away S932, 100000 this week as compared
with last, tho greater portion beng due
to decrease in speculaton; Boston's de.
cliuod S6SG0,00O, Chicago's So, 100, 600,
San FrancSCu'S 81, 800 900, Baltmore's
$1,000, 900, Philadolphia'S 100000 and
Louisvillc's slGO0,OO0
The New York stock market furnishes
very small volume of business, owing
to the holiday season. The liquidation
ocCaSioncd 10y the recent decline is sub
stantially completed, and the news of the
week tonded TO give a somewhat stronger
tone to the little activity shown. Trans.
actions in the New York Stock Exchange
were l,7O9, 40l shares, against 1876, lj3
shares last week, 1,505,0OS shares the
same week last year, and l,055,92l shares
firm. Sales on the New York Stock
Exchange SG,352, 100, against S9,5il, 500
last week. Money is much easier. Call
loans arc 3@G per cent; time. 5@6 per
cent, and commercial paper is dull at 6
per cent. Exchange is low, but shows
signs of recovery. Sterling has, how
ever, been below tho gold point and
abroad. American securities are still
bought moderately for foreign account.
The iron and steel markets continue to
lead in favoring conditions. No. east
ern pig iron has advanced another dollar
during the week, and SCI has been re-
fused for 800 tons, two months delivery.
The tendency of prices continues upward,
expected. But little business is doing at
the higher price named. Tho west leads
the east in the advance of prices and in
the demand for pig iron Ii is very sig
niticant, as reported to Bradstreet's, that
inquiries from Chicago, Milwaukee and
elsewhere, have been received within the
week for eastern pig iron, for the first
southern furnaces point to 140, 600 tons of
pig iron having been shipped by them to
the middle and New England states this
year, against 100, 600 tons each in 1886 and
1884. A net increase of Scotch pig stocks
(abroad) of 1920 tons is cablcd, and an
advance of an average Of 2s. per ton i'll
price.
Dry goods in all lines are quiet at the
cast. The cotton mills are all busy, "and
making money" with stocks not accum-
ulating. Atlantic brown cottons have
advanced. Contracts for heavy weight
woolcns are reported TO have been made
at last years prices. Stocks of print
cloth amount to but 81 per cent
of those held a year ago. Wool
is dull, There is greater confidence
among holders ut the interior than on the
Seaboard.
The coffee market is steady, with or
binary &c. below last week. Purchases
are light at the interior. AT Rio they are
very light and the quantity afloat by
steam was never so small. There is little
disposition to buy sugar. London is
cabled at lis, unchanged; no new busi-
ness is looked for there until January 4.
Fair refining here is off Ac. and centr
fuga &c. on the week Breadstuffs stiff
ened somewhat and advanced during the
latter part of the week, after a decline,
on decreasing receipts at the west and in
creasing confidence in the theory that
the United Kingdom will have to buy
more freely later in the cereal year, owing
to deficient supplies from India and small
stocks Mt home.
The total number of failures in the
United States, reported to Bradstreet's
this week, is 3l2, against 202 last week.
1913 in Christmas week 1885, 27S in 1884,
and 2GO in 1883. Canada has had 10,
against 81 last week, and % in 1885. The
total for the United States this year to
date is 1928, against 10, ,SS4 in 1885 "a de-
cline of GID, 05S in 1894 "a decline Of
745), and as compared with 1891 in 1888.